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my last, last i tell you, attempted transaction with metropolis

Started by Straw-Man,

379 posts in this topic

hockey&comicsguy

hockey&comicsguy

Posted
Posted

As a newcomer to GA collecting this is all news to me. I'd never dealt with them before. Interesting that this post came up b/c out of all the advice and kind words people have given me, one longtime collector actually told me that I might want to avoid them. He told me they had a great selection but that's where the "great" ended. After reading this I think he's right. Sounds like enough people have had bad experiences (at least offer-wise). The thread doesn't speak much about their service though or their grading accuracy so I don't know. confused.gif

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Paratrooper

Paratrooper

Posted
Posted
As a newcomer to GA collecting this is all news to me. I'd never dealt with them before. Interesting that this post came up b/c out of all the advice and kind words people have given me, one longtime collector actually told me that I might want to avoid them. He told me they had a great selection but that's where the "great" ended. After reading this I think he's right. Sounds like enough people have had bad experiences (at least offer-wise). The thread doesn't speak much about their service though or their grading accuracy so I don't know. confused.gif

 

They do have a large inventory, but if you look hard enough, and have patience, you will find the book you are looking for. The hunt is part of the fun in collecting anyway. Check here for many dealers that sell GA comics:

 

GA Comic sellers

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Mephisto

Mephisto

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Fourth, Metro shops at Heritage too. If they win a book, you can be sure its because they feel its undervalued and they will price it accordingly. Yes it hurts when I buy books from Metro that sold for 25% less six months before at Heritage... but I can only ask myself "Would I buy at Metro's price today?".

 

 

Or maybe they feel a book is undergraded?

http://comics.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=806&Lot_No=3283&src=pr#Photo

http://www.metropoliscomics.com/bookSear...p;search=Search

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Paratrooper

Paratrooper

Posted
Posted

 

Fourth, Metro shops at Heritage too. If they win a book, you can be sure its because they feel its undervalued and they will price it accordingly. Yes it hurts when I buy books from Metro that sold for 25% less six months before at Heritage... but I can only ask myself "Would I buy at Metro's price today?".

 

 

Or maybe they feel a book is undergraded?

http://comics.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=806&Lot_No=3283&src=pr#Photo

http://www.metropoliscomics.com/bookSear...p;search=Search

 

Someone make an offer on that book for $2,500 and see what the response is.

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Straw-Man

Straw-Man

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The make an offer button has frustrated me too....

 

But, Metro has no obligation to offer a great deal on each book, their business model obvously depends on a great selection rather than rock bottom prices.

 

If you feel like you have to get a low price to enjoy a book than you should what for an auction and take your chances. If you want to snap up a book you love, Metro is a great place to start.

 

Metro is exteremely professional and has exceptional customer service.

 

my "low price" was above guide, and higher than i paid within the last month for two high-grade copies of the same title book at the same guide level. NOT a low-ball offer at all.

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Straw-Man

Straw-Man

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Metro is exteremely professional and has exceptional customer service.

 

Very true. Frank is always friendly and my emails always get a quick response.

 

nothing in my original post impugned their professionalism or customer service. in fact, as you can see, Frank's emails were friendly and full of exclamation points.

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Straw-Man

Straw-Man

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...collectors like BillyP are probably asking for discounts on these rarer/hotter books....

 

Dino

 

do rarer/hotter 50's books go down in price, even in hi-grade, in consecutive overstreets? again, this book is NOT a grail, not rare, and less than 8.0--this is not an over-guide book, as my two recent purchases of higher grade copies show. however, my main reason for posting/griping was the suggestion that "free shipping" was tantamount to a genuine counter-offer calling for a new counter-offer from me. i found it insulting then, and still do on reflection. any of you that prefer courtesy and customer service to fair prices are of course welcome to keep their coffers full.

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sacentaur

sacentaur

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I wonder if Billy's declined offer here is symptomatic of larger frustrations in dealing with Metropolis that have built over time. I suspect so - that certainly would be the case with me (big surprise to our loyal readers, eh? 27_laughing.gif).

 

STEVE

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ecfanman

ecfanman

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The make an offer button has frustrated me too....

 

But, Metro has no obligation to offer a great deal on each book, their business model obvously depends on a great selection rather than rock bottom prices.

 

If you feel like you have to get a low price to enjoy a book than you should what for an auction and take your chances. If you want to snap up a book you love, Metro is a great place to start.

 

Metro is exteremely professional and has exceptional customer service.

 

my "low price" was above guide, and higher than i paid within the last month for two high-grade copies of the same title book at the same guide level. NOT a low-ball offer at all.

 

In my opinion you are making a big error in lumping all of the Frazetta Famous Funnies into one price category just because Overstreet does.

 

#215 is the hardest issue to find and 209 and 211 are probably the easiest. This is because a long time ago a number of high grade Famous Funnies turned up. Not all of the issues, though. Check the CGC census.

 

There are 26 unrestored copies of #209 in CGC 8.0 or better condition, of which 9 are 9.2 or better.

 

There are 24 unrestored copies of #211 in CGC 8.0 or better condition, of which 8 are 9.2 or better.

 

There are only 8 unrestored copies of #215 in CGC 7.0 or better, of which 8.5 is the highest grade and there is only 1.

 

Do you still think a #215 in 7.5 should sell for less than a #209/211 in 8.0?

 

And that's not taking into consideration that #215 is the "best" of the Frazetta covers (in my opinion).

 

ECFANMAN

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pennynike1

pennynike1

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Metro is exteremely professional and has exceptional customer service.

 

Very true. Frank is always friendly and my emails always get a quick response.

 

In general, I have found this to be true. But when I emailed them about a book that they had listed as the highest graded, which had been eclipsed by a 9.6 mile high, and asked if this effected the price, I received no response. They are listing a book purchased for $1,000 on Heritage for $2,000. Not only that, but the site still lists the 9.2 book as the highest graded copy, despite now knowing that it is not.

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SuperBird

SuperBird

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blush.gif

 

in all seriousness, I don't understand why people are getting thier panties in a bunch over a dealer rejecting an offer? why are you taking it so personally? either buy the book or don't. But no need to make drama over it. Move on.

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pennynike1

pennynike1

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First, I believe Metro prices books at top of market not to sell now but to find a willing buyer in 6-12 months. So, declining your offer of $650 implies Metro thinks someone will pay more in the near future even if it takes until the next OPG arrives... most books will sell eventually. The secret to Metro's success is maximizing margins not volume, and having the required patience and capital to do so. Also, Metro gets alot of post-Auction (Heritage/Clink/Mastro) business where underbidders go to Metro to buy the same book for more than auction they didn't win.

 

Fourth, Metro shops at Heritage too. If they win a book, you can be sure its because they feel its undervalued and they will price it accordingly. Yes it hurts when I buy books from Metro that sold for 25% less six months before at Heritage... but I can only ask myself "Would I buy at Metro's price today?".

 

 

If a book sells on Heritage, in my mind that is the FMV of a book. Metropolis wins a book for less than guide, and then proceeds to charge over guide. Then when you inform them that you know what the book previously sold for, they tell you that the book is picking up in popularity, etc, etc. Case in point, I offered them 145% of what the won a book for on Heritage last year. They countered for 157%. I gave it some time, and the book is, of course, still there. I then resubmitted my offer, and the only response I received was that I could still purchase it for the price they had quoted me in the past.

 

This is, of course, extremely frustating being a collector in comics. To date, I have not purchased a book from them. I would be willing to purchase over 10 books for them, to the tune of thousands of dollars, if I could get even a bit of cooperation in my dealings with them.

 

juggle.gifforeheadslap.gif

 

 

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Paratrooper

Paratrooper

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Posted
blush.gif

 

in all seriousness, I don't understand why people are getting thier panties in a bunch over a dealer rejecting an offer? why are you taking it so personally? either buy the book or don't. But no need to make drama over it. Move on.

 

If you read the entire thread, it's not only about them rejecting offers. This thread is also a tool to warn other comic collectors who have yet to purchase from them.

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SuperBird

SuperBird

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Posted
blush.gif

 

in all seriousness, I don't understand why people are getting thier panties in a bunch over a dealer rejecting an offer? why are you taking it so personally? either buy the book or don't. But no need to make drama over it. Move on.

 

If you read the entire thread, it's not only about them rejecting offers. This thread is also a tool to warn other comic collectors who have yet to purchase from them.

 

warn them about... what?

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Paratrooper

Paratrooper

Posted
Posted
blush.gif

 

in all seriousness, I don't understand why people are getting thier panties in a bunch over a dealer rejecting an offer? why are you taking it so personally? either buy the book or don't. But no need to make drama over it. Move on.

 

If you read the entire thread, it's not only about them rejecting offers. This thread is also a tool to warn other comic collectors who have yet to purchase from them.

 

warn them about... what?

 

you'd have to own one of the CGC Forum secret decoder rings to read the hidden messages. For $100 I can send you one.

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